Device for cleaning the grille of hydraulic installations



March 12, 1957 J. sTuRzENEGG-ER 2,784,845

DEVICE FOR CLEANING THE GRILLE OF HYDRAULIC INSTALLATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1953 ATTORNEY March 12, 1957 J. STURZENEGGER DEVICE FOR CLEANING THE GRILLE OF HYDRAULIC INSTALLATIONS Filed Nov. 4. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TLJF.r

.fecz/ Sl'urz enegger.

` Ar rowv Y United States DEVICE FOR CLEANING THE GRILLE OF HYDRAULIC INSTALLATIONS Jean Sturzenegger, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Atelier de Construction Jonneret S.- A., Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Application November 4, 1953, Serial'No. 390,144

Claims priority, application Switzerland November 11, 1952 3 Claims. (Cl. 210-176) This invention relates to a device for cleaning the grille of hydraulic installations, such as hydroelectric power plants, pumping installations, such, for example,

as set forth in my co-pending application Serial Number atent fiirice 25784345 Patented Mar. 12, 1957` Figure is a detail partial perspective view of -a portion f of the cradle. i

In previous arrangements of this kind, the cleaning or clearing of the grille proceeds only during the ascending movement of the carriageiagainst vthe grille, i the cardle, which in most cases is providedwith teeth 'or prongs, collecting the detritus or debris along the grille.,

Thus, only the ascending movement is effective for the cleaning.

Moreover, the arrangements operating according fto` the aforementioned principle have lthe disadvantage of dispersing the debris on the portion of the grilleto be cleaned while the carriage descends into the water. As a result, when the carriage is raised, the cradle picks up only a fraction of the debris lodged against that part of the grille which is to be cleaned, and the oating materials that had accumulated against the upper part of the grille are scattered over the surface of the water so that they cannot be removed in an eliicient manner.

Furthermore, in the known arrangements, `during the descent of the carriage, the rollers of` theV carriage roll over the debris lodged against the' grille." This results in poor guiding of the carriage and possible blocking of the rollers. The device according to the presentinvention tends to remedy the aforementioned disadvantages. It` is characten'zed bythe fact that the carriage is provided opposite the cradle with a grille portion, as shown inthe drawings, the latter including bars whose ends extend downward from the carriage to collect during the downward movement of the carri-age the debris retained by the'grilles of the hydraulic installations in such a way that the rollers of the carriage move along a path unobstructed by foreign bodies, and cooperating means on the `carriage and cradle to positively close the cradle inI relation to said extended ends of the bars of the Agrille portion. The accompanying drawing sho-Ws, diagrammatically and by way of example, an embodiment of the. cleaning or scavenging device forming the subject matter of the invention.

`Figure 1 is a horizontal elevational view, with portions brokenaway, of the scavenging device disposed against thegrille of a hydraulic installation.

Figure-2 is a .section along II-II of Fig. `1.`

f -Figure 3 is a side view of the carriage in the descendin'gposition with the cradle open.

Figure 4 is a view,V similar to the previous one, of the carriage in the ascending position Iwitlrthe cradle closed.`

Figure 6 is a side view of another embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device for cleaning the grille of a hydraulic installation comprises a carriage 1 adapted to be displaced along the grille of a hydraulic installation, such as a hydroelectric power plant or ai pumping installation. i Y

This carriage 1 comprises a frame 3 of generally UV shape and which is `mounted on two pairs of rollers 4` adaptedfto roll on the bars 5 of grille 2. Each roller is provided with a rib 6 to guide the rollers along the grille bars 5.

The carriage 1 supports arrockably mounted scaveng-` ing devicein the orderof a clam shell bucket or cradle` 7, and which primarily consists of a piece of sheet metal substantially co-extensive with the width of the carriage to provide a receptacle for collectingthe debris in front of the grille. The cradle 7 constituted as just described is also provided at the opposite ends thereof with a pair of frame members 8 which have their forward portions of arcuate formation to support and hold the sheet metal portion 7a while the ends of the frame members extend-r ing beyond the inner edge of the sheet metal portion 7a provide levers 8a. The frame members Aincluding thev levers Sa are pivoted to the carriage as indicated at 9, and, fas willappear from the drawings, the free edge of the sheet metal scoop portion of the cradle may be providedi with claws 10 to facilitate handling ofthe debris.`

In order to eifectuate the operation of the carriage and the portions of the cradle, preferably several groups of cables are provided. One group operates parts of the cradle and the other group includes the main cables for lifting and lowering the carriage.

In the form of construction shown in the drawings, the` group of cables for operating the cradle areidentilied as` 11 and 13a- 13m The cable 11 is secured at its lower end to the medial portion of the scoop of the cradle, as`

indicated at 12, as will be apparent from Figures 1 and 3-` The remaining cables `13a are connected at their lower ends to the levers 8a of the cradle disposed at the side of lthe pivot 9 opposite the edge of the cradle including the claw 10.

The upper end of `the single cable 11 is connected to a winch (not shown), while the upper ends of the cables 13a are connected to the outer ends of the equalizing bar 15, as will be apparent from Figure 1. It will also be seen from the drawings that the equalizing bar 15 is guided in two slotted supporting members 16` connected with the upper portion of the carriage. Thus, the equalizing bar 15 is guided substantially parallel to the direction of displacement of the carriage in relation to 4 by means of a shaft 19. Prongs 18 are integral with one another through a plate 20. At each end ofthe row of prongs is an actuating camming arm 21 whose nose 22 provides a camming edge to raise prongs 18 when the carriage passes over a cross-bar 23 of the grille 2.

Means for controlling the raising of said prongs 18 when cradle 7 is closed consist of a'sec-ond arm 24 `extending rearwardly beyond the point where the prongs are linked to the carriage.

Edge 25 of said second arml cooperates during `the closing ofthe cradle with a roller 3 26 mounted near the free end of the corresponding lever 8a of the cradle.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the carriage is constructed inwsuch. a wayeas to' .form a receptacle, .the bottom of which opens downwardly and is providedrwith .grilles on bothV vsides of frame `3. The inncr.`grille is Yformed by bars 27 disposed parallel toy one another and spaced apart by a distance-substantially Vequal to the spacing of bars 5 of grille 2. The outer grille is formed by bars 28 spaced closer together than the bars of the inner grille. The frame 3, in effect, forms the top of the receptacle. As will be seen in; the Figures 3 and 4, the upper grille formed by the `series ofv parallel bars 28 is. movable. To that end, the Abars A28 have their upper ends slidably connected-by means 29-to the carriage while their lower ends are pivotally secured to the shaft 3l] carried by the. cradle 7. In `that connection, the movable-grille bars 28 of the carriage each may have their lower ends connected to the shaft 30, or,` alternatively, the grille bars 28 arranged as a unit may vhave a connectionwith the arcuate frame members 8 at the ends ofthe sheet metal portion of the cradle to be controlled thereby.

Thus, as shown by Figure 3, in the open position of cradle -7, bars 28 are farther from the xed bars 27,

than in the closed position of the cradle, as per Figure 4. The angular displacement of bars 28 would facilitate the unloading of the receptacle from the cradle when the carriage 7 is opened.

Moreover, a push rod may be provided at the top of the receptacle to dispel the debris from the receptacle when the cradle is opened. Such` push rod could be controlled by the equalizing bar 15.

As another modification shown inFigure 6, as above set forth, the prongs 18 are stationary instead of being rockably secured to the carriage as in my companion application Serial Number 390,143, led November 4, 1953,v and asl described hereabove with reference to Figures l to 5. ln this case the prongs 18 would be formed by an extension of the grille bars 27 at the inner face of ythe carriage, and could be applied, either alone or in combination with the open work receptacle, to any carriage of known construction provided with any type of, cradle controlled either by an independent cable, or automatically by a cable securedto the carriage.

l' The operation of the device herein described is as folows:

When not in use, carriage 1 is held at the top of grille 2 by cables 11 and 13', controlled by one or several Winches (not shown) set up in the control cabin of the hydraulic installation.

When the device is to be used, cables 11 and i3 are unwound at substantially the same rate of speed to enable the carriage to descend along the grille 2, its cradle then being in the open position as shown in Figure 3.

During Ithis descending movement, the materials lioating on the surface-of the water in which grille 2 is immersed enter the receptacle formed by the carriage proper. The prongs 18 actv to disengage from the latter any debris lodged against it, the grille bars 27 and 2S allowing the water to pass therethrough, but retaining the debris..

When prongs 1S pass over a cross-bar 23, the camforming edge 22 ofv arms 21 assures the retraction of said prongs from the grille.

As soon as 'thecarriage reaches the lower part of the grille,- the' winch controlling cable 13 is stopped, while the winch controlling cable 11 continues to unwind that cable. due partly to the action of its own weight because cable 11` isslack and partly to-the action of the weight of the. carriage 1` which presses on the levers 8ay of said cradle fpivotally: securedto the carriage. at 9. Thus thrust o, ,tl1e, 'carriage,assures a` perfect! closing movement of f Thus, cradle 7 is closed by a rocking movement the cradle. During this rockingV movement, cradle 7 pivots about point 14 of levers 8a.

Simultaneously with the closing movement of the cradle, prongs 1S retract from grille 2. In fact, while the cradle rocks, rollers 26 enter into contact with arcuu ate edge 25 of actuating arms 24 and push the same backward: The `motion imparted to prongs. 18 through arms 24 together with the action of the cradle and of the upper grille formedby the bars 28 results in a firml gripping of the materials engaged in the cradle and in the receptacle formed by the carriage. Once the cradle is closed, the winch controlling cables 13 winds these cables, and the carriage is brought back to the upper part of the grille;

The fastening of cables 13a at the free end of levers 8a of the cradle prevents premature opening of the cradle. After having been brought near the control cabin, carriage 1 and its cradle 7 can be unloaded of the debris which they contain', either into a canal or into a truck provided for their disposal.

A cleaningv or scavenging device such as herein described and illustrated makes it possible to clean grilles rapidly and efciently because as soon as the carriagev begins its descending movement, the materials yiloating on the surface of the Water enter the lower end of the open work'receptacle formed by the carriage proper.

During the entire descent ofthe carriage, the teethv or prongs 18V disengage thev debris caught by the bars of the grille 2. Thus, the debris is gathered in the receptacle formed by the carriage. After the carriage Vreaches the bottom of the` grille, debris of large volume, such as branches and tree trunks, are held fast by'the teeth or prongs 18y and the cradle 7 and the carriagevloa'ded withr debris is retracted toward the top of the .grille 2l for unloading. Thus, any dispersion of tloating materials or any scattering of debris is prevented, and that portion Vof the grille over Whichthe carriage isfdisplaced is readily cleaned by a single operation.

Moreover, the carriage is properly .guided in it's descending movement by the bars 5 of the main grille or strainer 2;*thus the grille is freedv from debris during Therefore,

the initial phase of the cleaning operation. there is no possibility ofthe rollers 4 beingblocked by debris. v

I claim:

l. A device for cleaningthe grillwork of hydraulic installations, said grillworkphaving a crossbar, comprising,

incombination, acarriage member adapted to be moved" along said grillwork, said carriage member including an inverted- U-shaped frame, two pairs of roller members mounted respectively at the open and closedfcndsof' the U-shaped frame for supporting said frame upon'the .grill- Work in rolling .reciprocating relationship parallel to the legsv of the U-shaped frame, a stationary inner grillwork,

an angularly displaceable and movably mounted outerf grillwork, said grillworks extending respectively over 0pposite open faces of the U-shapedframe, meansv for movably mounting said outer grillwork to said carriage at onek ing free ends extendingto 'the opposite side of said pivot axis from said cradle, each lever member having a roller" member attachedat `the respective'free end thereof, means for controlling the carriage and the cradle in their siconnected to each of said lever members at the free ends thereof, prong means operatively connected to said carriage at one end thereof for dislodging debris from said grillwork upon movement of said cradle and said carriage in one direction along said grillworli, claw means attached to said cradle for facilitating the handling of the said so dislodged debris upon movement of said cradle and said carriage in the opposite direction along said grillworlc, means for raising said prong means upon the contacting thereof with said grillwork cross bar, said raising means being operatively connected to said prong means and having at least one arm operatively connected to said carriage member at the frame member sidewall7 said arm having a cam shaped edge at one end thereof and a curved edge at the other end thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for 6 raising said prong means includes a crosspiece member attached to the carriage and a shaft operatively connected to said crosspiece, said arm being movably mounted on said shaft, said prong means being operatively connected to said arm.

3. The apparatus of claim l wherein the means tor controlling the carriage and the cradle in their simultaneous movement along said grill work includes a cable operatively connected to said cradle and cables respectively connected to said lever member.

Great Britain July 27, 1922 Germany Dec. 8, 1922 

